ARTS NORTH WEST - CASP GRANTS 2026

📌Applications Open: 9.00am 3 August 2026

📌Applications Close: 5.00pm 14 September 2026

📌 Successful Applicants Notified: 21 September 2026

📌 Projects are to take place between: 21 October 2026 - 21 October 2027

CASP 2026 aims to help out with local community arts and cultural activities, give regional groups more chances to access a wide variety of arts programs, and let communities explore and express their cultural identities. It also brings social and economic benefits to the community through training, jobs, and promotion, raises awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity, and makes regional community arts organisations more sustainable and resilient.

The aim of the Country Arts Support Program is to support community arts and cultural development in regional NSW through small grants that:

- Assist locally determined community arts and cultural activities

- Increase opportunities for regionally based groups to access a diverse range of arts programs

- Enable communities to explore and express their cultural identities

- Bring social and economic benefits to the community through training, employment and promotional opportunities

- Lead to greater awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity

- Increase the sustainability and resilience of regionally based community arts organisations

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ELIGIBILITY – WHO CAN APPLY?

- A not-for-profit incorporated body

- A local government authority

- A collective with a nominated administering body

- Applicants are required to have a current certificate of currency for Broadform Liability or ‘Public Liability’ Insurance

- Applicants who have discussed their project with the relevant regional arts development organisation via phone 0493 316 463 or email rado@artsnw.com.au

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The eligible local government area’s include:

- Armidale Regional

- Glen Innes Severn

- Gunnedah Shire

- Gwydir Shire

- Liverpool Plains Shire

- Moree Plains Shire

- Narrabri Shire

- Tamworth Regional

- Tenterfield Shire

- Uralla Shire

- Walcha Council

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WHO IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

- Groups based in Sydney and the Blue Mountains, or for projects based in those areas or outside of the Arts North West service area

- Interstate organisations

- Professional touring groups

- Commercial enterprises

- Groups/ensembles and unincorporated associations with no administering body

- Regional Conservatoriums

- Those who have already received CASP Funding

- Organisations that have applied for or received Create NSW funding for the same activity

- Previous recipients where the use of the grant did not, in the opinion of the CASP state assessment panel, conform to the spirit and intentions of these guidelines

- State and federal government departments, including schools (except P&Cs who are incorporated)

- Organisations that have overdue reports or acquittals for any funding programs administered by RANSW and/or Create NSW

- Applicants who have not discussed their project with the relevant regional arts development organisation.

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